The Three P's Series

Introduction

This week I want to talk about the three P’s that might be preventing you from taking a do-over or returning to God. We are told in Hosea 14:1 Return, O Israel to your Lord your God. And as I told you in past sermons in this series, you can take out the name “Israel” and replace it with your name. There are some in this room today that need to return to God.

I got the title for today’s sermon: “The three P’s” from a TV commercial that appears during the local and national news between the 5 and 6 o’clock hour. In that commercial, Colonial Penn Life Insurance spokesperson Alex Trebex tells the audience you need to know the three “P’s” of life insurance. They are price, price, and price. A Price you can afford; a price that cannot increase; and a price that fits your budget. Anne and I have seen that commercial so many times that we can repeat the three “p’s” along with Alex. Some of you if you have seen that commercial as much as we have probably can also repeat the three “p’s”.

But if I were to ask you to tell me “the three P’s” that prevent you from taking a do over or returning to God, most of you cannot tell me what they are. These three “P’s” are the ones every Christian should remember and not some goofy “three P’s” of life insurance. So, it is my hope and pray that as you leave this church house you will have etched in your mind the “three P’s” that hold you back from returning to God once you have drifted away.

So, if you have your Bibles turn with me to Matthew 19: 16-22. Please stand for the reading of God’s Word.

Scripture

Matthew 19:16-22 (NIV)

16 Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?"

17 “Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments."

18 “Which ones?" the man inquired. Jesus replied, "'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony,

19 honor your father and mother,' and 'love your neighbor as yourself.'"

20 “All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?"

21 Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

Background Information

In our passage today, we see a young man who literally interrupts Jesus; a young man who wants to connect with Jesus to ask Him probably the most important question that could be asked of Jesus. What must I do to inherit eternal life? What must I add to my life in order to spend eternity in heaven with you? And Jesus does not tell the young man to add something to his life; Jesus, instead, tells the man you need to take somethings away from your life. In other words, Jesus looked into this man’s heart and saw that there were somethings in this man’s life holding him back from truly turning to Jesus. And in our lives, there may be somethings holding us back from returning to Jesus. Let’s be honest, sometimes we must let go of the baggage that we are holding firmly to in order to move forward with God. And that were the “three P’s” come in. The “three P’s” tell us the type of baggage we hold on to.

POINT #1

I MUST RELEASE MY POWER; I NEED TO KNOW THAT I AM POWERLESS WITHOUT JESUS.

Look at verse 16: “Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?" It assumes that there is something in this man’s power that he feels that he can do to inherit eternity. Afterall, he is referred to as a rich young ruler. We all know that money makes things happen in this world; and he is rich. The only problem is that money does not make thing happen in the spiritual world. And he is a ruler which means he orders people to do things for him and they get done. But we know that even the most powerful ruler in this world does not get to order God around.

And in our very own lives even though we are not rich or rulers, we all feel we have some sense of power even if it just a small sense of power. And what happens is when a problem occurs in my life and instead of immediately going to God to get Him to handle it; what do we do? We attempt to handle it with whatever measure of power that we have. And when all else fails we turn to God.